Truss



No. 6|6,3l9. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

s. A. u. HARDY. Tnus's.

Application filed Jan. 21, 1898.) PM Model-3 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: '/NVENTOH W By W ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC STEPHEN A. D. HARDY, OF AIX, MISSOURI.

TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,319, dated December20, 1898. Application filed January 21,1898. Serial No. 667,422. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN A. D. HARDY, of Aix, in the county of Barryand State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement inHernia-Trusses, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved truss whichshall be capable of varied adjustments, whose parts may be readilyattached, detached, and adjusted as desired to accommodate differentwearers, and whose pressure may be varied quickly and conveniently asconditions require, and which may also be changed from a double to asingle truss.

The construction and combination of parts are as hereinafter describedand claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of myinvention as a whole. Figs. 2, 3,and 4 are perspective views illustrating the detachable connectionbetween shoulder-straps and hippads. Fig. 5 is a vertical section online 5 5 of Fig.- 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating theseveral attachments of a pad. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of suchpad. Fig. Sis a perspective view of the adjustable yoke attached to thepad-plate. Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 9 9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10includes an enlarged longitudinal and cross-section of the hook-lever.Fig. 11includes a plan and side view of one of the loops attached to theends of the body-strap. Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating themeans for converting the truss from double to single.

The pads 1 are adjustably connected, as hereinafter described, with anelastic bodystrap 2 and. elastic perineal straps 3. Both sets of suchstraps 2 3 are preferably formed of pure india rubber. The body-strap 2passes through longitudinal pockets formed in the lower side ofelongated hip-pads 4, which are freely slidable on said strap 2.Non-elastic shoulder-straps 5 are adjustably attached to the hip-pads4and are connected at 6, where they cross on the back of the wearer.Their front ends adj ustably engage buckles 7, having hooks 8, Fig. 2,that engage any one of a row of vertical keyholeslits 9, which arealined horizontally and formed .in leather wear-pieces or reinforcessewed or otherwise permanently secured to the outer side of the hip-pads4. The ends of the hooks 8 project laterally, as shown in Fig. 2, andtherefore require to be placed in alinement with the slits inorder toattach or detach them from the hip-pads. The rear ends of the straps 5similarly engage buckles 11, that are permanently attached to thehippads 4, near the lower edges of the latter. The perineal straps 3 areadj ustably connected with the aforesaid buckles 11 by a hingedattachment 12, so as to permit adjustment of the straps 3 and yetobviate any danger of their accidental slipping or detachment.

The two hollow pads 1,which are constructed of a fiat top plate andconical or rounded body, are detachably connected by a transversenon-elastic strap 13, having metal loops 14, Fig. 6, attached to itsends, which loops are provided with an internal V notch or slotadaptedto receive and lock with a roundhead screw 16, fixed in the flatface or top plate 17 of the pads 1. Said plate 17 is con structed ofmetal and has a longitudinal central row of screw-threaded holes 18, inwhich the screw 16 is fitted. The strap 13 is made adjustable in lengthby means of a buckle. This construction and combination of partsobviously permits the pads l a wide range of adjustment nearer to orfarther from each other, so that they may be easily adapted to the sizeand form of different wearers.

The ends of the elastic body-strap 2 are adj ustably connected with thepads 1 by means of attachments in the form of curved loops 19, Figs.3'and 11, having angular hooks 20, adapted to enter anyone of atransverse row of holes 21, formed in the top plate 17 of the pads 1near their smaller ends. The said hooks 20 are inserted in the holes 21by canting the loops 19, as shown in Fig. 7, and the shoulders of thehooks 20. abut the plate when in due looking position. It is apparentthe hooks 20 maybe easilyattached and detached and that their adjustmentis therefore easily and quickly effected.

The perineal straps 3' are connected with the pads 1 by extensiblelevers, which are constructed as follows: The lower ends of said straps3 are secured to the bent ends of short metal tubes 22, in which shortrods 23 are adapted to slide, the same being clamped by a screw 24, asshown. The outer ends of said rods 23 are bent twice to form arightangular hook or engaging point 25, adapted to enter and lock with adevice 26, Fig. 8, which I term a yoke, the same forming an adjustableattachment of the pad-plate 17. The said yokes 26 consist of twoparallel plates 27, formed in one piece with and pendent from a platehaving a cylindrical shank or boss 28, that passes from the back into ahole in the pad-plate 17, Figs. 7 and 9. On opposite sides of such holeare are slots 29, through which pass screws 30, that enter the plate oryoke and serve to clamp and hold the yoke 26 in any rotary adjustment onits axis.

The rods 23, which may be termed hooklevers, are attached to the pads 1by placing them at a right angle to the pad-plate 17 and then insertingtheir hooked or angular ends 25 through the hole in the yoke 26, at thesame time bringing them down to the position parallel to the pad-plate17 shown in Fig. 7. The points 25 of the levers 23 will thus pass andlie between the lugs or ears 27 of the yoke 26, and it is apparent theangle of said levers to the longer axis of the pads 1 will correspond tothe rotary adjustment of the yokes 26 as determined by the position ofthe clamp-screws 30 in the arc slots 29. Thus the pads 1 may be held inany position required in a particular case.

It will be seen that the tubes 22 and rods 23 constitute levers whichare extensible in length and that the face of the pads is a Eulcru m orbase of leverage therefor. By shortening or lengthening the leverseither the body-strap or perineal straps can be given an advantage, soas to throw the pressure from the upper or smaller end of the pads, asmay be desired. Further, the levers may be so adj usted as to hold theperineal straps off or out of contact with the cords and arteries in theinner front side of the thighs, which allows free circulation of theblood in the same and avoids chafing.

To convert the truss from double to single, one of the pads 1 isremoved, along with its connecting-strap 13 and one of the perinealstraps 3, and a short elastic piece or strap 31 (see Fig. 12) isattached to one end of the elastic body-strap 2 by means of a loop 32,While its lower end is connected with the screw 16 on the singleremaining pad 1 by means of a loop 14:.

Whether the truss be used single or double, the pads l have a freeadjustment on their axis 16, and thus accommodate themselves to thesurface on which they rest.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination, with a truss-pad, of an adjustableattachment for connection with a strap, the same consisting of a platehaving parallel ears on one side and a perforated boss inserted in ahole in the pad-plate, arc slots formed in the latter, and clamp-screwsadapted to pass through said slots, and enter the adjustable plate oryoke, as shown and described.

2. The combination with a truss-pad proper, and a device which is set inthe face-plate and adapted to rotate and to be looked as specified, of astrap having a rod or lever-hook attached thereto which is adapted forinsertion in detachable engagement with said device, whereby it may beheld at any required angle to the pad, as shown, for the purpose speci3. The combination,with a truss-pad proper, and the yoke having pendentears and a perforated boss, and means for securing it in any rotaryadjustment, of a strap and a lever-hook adapted to enter and lock withsaid yoke, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a truss,the combination with the trusspads and a body-belt, of theperineal straps and extensible levers attached to the latter, saidlevers being composed of two parts adapted to slide on each other, andone of them adapted to engage the face of the pads, as shown anddescribed.

5. The combination with a hollow truss-pad, of a removable cap thereforprovided with a hole andelongated curved slots on opposite sides of saidhole, a yoke having a bushing loosely engaging in said hole, and ears fprojecting from the yoke, and adjusting-screws secured to the yoke andpassing through said elongated slots, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

6. In a truss, the combination with supportin g-straps and a belt of atruss-pad, connected with the belt, a perineal strap, a hollow bar onthe end of the strap, a lever adjustably secured to said bar and formedwith an angular hook on its outer end, adapted to engage in aperforation in the pad, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the belt, of atrusspad thereon, a yoke pivotallysupported on the pad, and formed with a hollow bushing, means foradjusting the yoke, a perineal strap, and a lever on the end of thestrap having a hook adapted to engage the said yoke, and a hook on thebelt engaging with the pad sub stantially as set forth.

8. In a truss, the combination of the elastic belt, supporting-strapstherefor, truss-pads, a hook on each end of the elastic belt, elasticperineal straps having each a lever at one end provided with a hornremovably engaging an aperture in the pad, and a strap connecting thepads, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a truss, the combination with supporting-straps of an extensibleelastic belt, a trusspad adj ustably secured between the ends of saidbelt, an elastic perineal strap secured at the rear to saidsupporting-straps and provided with a lever having a horn thereonremovably and adjustably engaging one end of the truss-pad,substantially as described.

10. In a truss,the combination with supporting-straps and a belt, of atruss-pad having to removably engage in perforations in the a removablecap formed with a central series other end of the cap, substantially asshown IQ of holes, a post adapted to be secured in and described. veither hole of said central series, a perineal v T 5 strap, a leversecured to the perineal strap STEPHEN HARDX' provided with a hornadapted to removably lVitnesses: and adjustably engage a perforation inone JOHN WV. HENINGS, end of the cap, and a hook on the belt, adaptedLUCY E. RIGSBY.

